Facing my destiny
by Karioudo
Summary: It's the final battle in the Chamber of Fate. Can the Hero everyone put their faith into defeat Jack of Blades? Or is Jack too powerful now that he has the Sword of Aeons? Full summary inside. Please R


**Summary: **It's the final fight in the Chamber of Fate. Can the Slayer of the White Balverine, the Champion of the Arena, the Hero that all of Albion has put their faith and trust in, defeat the demon Jack of Blades? Or is Jack simply to powerful now that he has the Sword of Aeons? Hero's POV.

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **Jack of Blades and the whole Fable concept is copyrighted to Lionhead Studios and Peter Molyneux. You won't know the name of the Hero in this story, so you can pretend he's your own character (he's good aligned by the way). I'm writing this just for fun and I'm not getting any money for this. I wouldn't mind owning Jack though! XD Or the other way around…

**Warnings: **Violence obviously, since it's going to be a fight. Some language maybe. Not a happy story! -throws a box of tissues-

**Authors note: **I always wondered what it would be like if Jack actually won in the Chamber of Fates. Last night I fired up an old save game and had Jack beat the total CRAP out of my character, hoping for some spiffy ending cut scene when Jack killed my Hero. There was no spiffy cut scene but I did end up with around 200 awesome Jack-in-action screenshots and found out that Jack has some amusing taunts to say when he's beating you.  
And that inspired me to write this, only taking it one step further XD

… I'm not used to writing drama

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Talking

_Thinking_

_--_

It was in flames. I could hear the screams and moans of dying people coming from inside the walls; I could feel the heat of the flames burning my face and hair; I could feel the despair radiating from the building. The only place I could ever call home – aside from the house I was born in – was burning. The Guild was burning.

I knew this was Jack's doing. His words were still ringing in my head from when I last faced him at the Gibbets Wood Focus Site.

"_Are you ready to see the Guild burn, Hero?"_

No, I wasn't ready. Nothing could have prepared me for this. While I stared at the burning Guild, memories came flooding back. Memories of Oakville burning, friends and family dying, all the suffering caused by Jack's hand… and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Just like the current situation.

_No! _I shook my head to clear the thoughts. _That's not true. This time you can do something! This time you can stop Jack!_

Can I?

_You have no choice. For the sake of the Guild Master, your mother, your sister and all of Albion; you have to stop Jack of Blades. You're the only one who can._

I nodded and gripped the hilt of Hiryu tightly. I had become quite fond of this sword, it was a good weapon and it had never failed me before. I just hoped it wouldn't fail me now.

I stepped up to the front doors of the Guild and reached out to touch the door handles. They were hot, very hot, but fortunately the gloves of my chain mail armour protected my hands from the heat while I opened the doors and stepped in.

I was immediately met by a wave of hot air and ash, burning my lungs. Coughing, I moved the scarf of my cuirass over my mouth and nose and looked around. It was worse than I thought it would be. Through the thick smoke and flames I could see the bodies of guards and apprentices lying on the ground in odd angles. There wasn't a living soul in sight and my heart sunk. Was everyone dead? Did Jack murder everyone who stood in his way? And where was the Guild Master?

My eyes were beginning to water because of the intense heat, as I cautiously made my way to the Map Room. I knew I didn't have any time to waste, but I was terribly nervous, afraid that Jack would suddenly jump at me from every corner.

When I reached the Map Room I was met with the same, gruelling sight; flames and corpses. I was about to make my way to the Library when a sound coming from my right caught my attention: the sound of a body moving. I quickly spun around in a defensive position, trying to see who it was. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest. Was it Jack? Did he come to finish the job? I growled, frustrated that I couldn't see because of the thick smoke.

Movement caught my eye and I switched my attention to the corner of the room; I quickly sheathed my sword when I saw it wasn't Jack, but an apprentice of the Guild lying on the ground. A survivor!

I quickly ran over to him and knelt down, putting my hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?" I asked. It was the most stupid question I could ask him, but it was all I could think of in the current situation. He groaned in pain and I gently turned him around so I could see his face. My eyes widened. I recognized him! His pale face was smeared with ash and blood, but this was Yeraba without a doubt.

I had met Yeraba a couple of weeks ago. He had just started training here and he showed a lot of potential. He was eager to learn and while he wasn't very good with the powers of the Will, he had a natural talent for the sword. I guess it was to be expected from the son of a blacksmith.

I had never really talked a lot with the young boy but when I saw him training he reminded me of myself when I was young. I always felt that he was destined to become a great Hero some day.

And now… he was lying on the blood splattered ground of the burning Guild, a deep gash in his side and struggling for breath. What a way to end…

Yeraba took a deep, gurgling breath and opened his eyes and focused on my face. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I knew you'd come. The Guild Master said you would." His voice was nothing more than a whisper, thick with pain. The sound of lungs beginning to strain under the heat, ash and smoke.

I didn't know what to say. My eyes drifted to the deep gash in his side; his apprentice robes were stained with blood. I couldn't tell him that everything was going to be alright. That wound was fatal and he knew so as well. I could see it in his eyes.

"I tried to stop him." he whispered when he saw me looking. "It all happened so quickly. I was in the Library with the Guild Master when I heard screaming so I ran off to look. When I reached the Map Room… he was there, cutting down a guard. I got overwhelmed with anger, so I pulled out my sword and attacked." He took another deep, gurgling breath and suddenly went into a coughing fit. His whole body was shaking with the force of the coughs and I held him tighter, trying to soothe him, to calm him down.

After a few more moments the coughs lessened in force and he was able to breathe again.  
His voice was hoarse and pained now. "Before I could even reach him he had flung me across the room with a blast of Will. I hit the wall and fell on the ground, my sword out of my reach. I tried to grab it but he kicked my hand away."

I looked at his right hand; it was hanging in an odd angle. The kick probably broke it. "H-he took out his sword and… and… he laughed when he-" I pulled the frightened boy tighter, biting back my own tears. He didn't need to tell how Jack had gutted him while he was defenceless.

"Were there any others with Jack?" I asked quietly. I couldn't help myself, I needed to know!

Yeraba nodded. "Yes… a woman and a girl. They were bound with his Will and couldn't escape..." I closed my eyes and clenched my fist. That bastard!

"They are your family, aren't they? The Guild Master said something like that."

"My mother and sister, yes." I mumbled.

"Avo help them…" Yeraba muttered before he went into another coughing fit. Something wet splattered on my glove and I turned my hand to look at it. Blood.

Yeraba's body was shaking hard and he was struggling for breath again, the sounds of his dying lungs deafened by the roaring flames. Breathing should never sound like that, it was wrong.

He didn't want to die, I could feel it. But deep down, I think he knew he didn't have a choice.

"Yeraba, where is the Guild Master?" I asked him. He shuddered, "L-Library… I think… but… that's where Jack went to…" My heart sunk again. What if Jack had killed the Guild Master…

I softly stroked Yeraba's hair to soothe the young boy. "It's okay to let go, Yeraba. You've done a great job. If there were more like you, Albion would be a better place to live in." He shuddered again and closed his eyes. He was scared. He didn't want to die. "Just let it go… it's alright…" I whispered in his ear while gently rocking him back and forth.

He struggled for a couple of seconds more, then took one last, gurgling breath and suddenly went limp. I held him tight for a few more moments, and then gently laid him back on the floor, wiping his hair out of his pale face.

I stood up and looked at him one last time. "May Avo watch over you, Yeraba, and keep you safe."

I turned and quickly made my way over to the Library. I wasn't nervous or scared anymore. Only anger remained. Anger at Jack, for all the suffering he had caused. For the lives he had destroyed in his hunger for power. And anger at myself, that I couldn't save Yeraba and all the others that had died at the hands of that demon. He was going to pay!

I entered the Library. I looked around; the flames hadn't reached here yet. Across of me was the entrance to the Guild Caves, leading to the Chamber of Fate. And then, I saw him. Slumped against one of the bookcases was the Guild Master.

He looked up when he heard me running towards him and raised his hand. It slumped against the floor again, the old man was too weak to even keep it in the air.

"There was nothing we could do. He has power like none I have ever seen." He said when I knelt next to him. He looked at me and noticed the blood on my armour.

"It's not mine." I quickly reassured him. He looked at me and I could see the question in his eyes.

_Who was it?_

My stomach shrunk and I suddenly felt sick. I wanted to throw up. Blinking away tears I answered, "It's Yeraba's… he's dead." "Dear Avo…" the Guild Master mumbled. "Did you see any survivors?" I shook my head, "Everyone is dead as far as I can tell." "That demon! He must be stopped!"

"Are you alright? Did Jack…?" I asked. The old man quickly shook his head, "Don't worry about me, lad. I'll be fine. Now listen closely. Jack has both your mother and your sister and has taken them to the Chamber of Fate. If either of them dies… Avo help us all!" He took a shaking breath and stared at the wall for a few seconds before looking back at me. "Jack is waiting for you there. You must stop him, lad! For all our sakes, stop him!"

I nodded and gripped Hiryu tightly. "I'll stop him. I promise I won't let him get away with all the things he has done! I'll stop him for good, even if that means I'll have to die doing it! I won't let you down."

"That's my boy." the Guild Master smiled. "Now go get him. Avo be with you."

I stood up and walked towards the door leading to the Guild Caves. I turned around one last time and the Guild Master, the man who has been like a second father to me, nodded and smiled.

I stepped through the door and looked at the big doors at the other side of the Caves. Behind those doors were my mother and sister, waiting for me to rescue them. Behind those doors was Jack, waiting for me so he could kill me. I crossed the caves and stopped in front of the doors to collect myself.

All of Albion was relying on me to save them, I knew. I had to do this right and I only had one chance. Taking a deep breath and clutching Hiryu's hilt again, I opened to doors to face my destiny.

To be continued…

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This was chapter 1 of 2. This was also my first Fable fan fiction and the first story I've written in a long time. Reviews also make me update faster XD


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